I was born on Sunday 13 July 1947 and have lived all these years and just found out people fear the number 13. Nine times in my life my birthday has fallen on “FRIDAY the 13th” I would say that the number 13 has been lucky for me! Now that I ponder on it, I can remember many buildings in Boston that had no 13th floor, now a lot of those were less than 12 stories tall, and that kinda’ made sense. But the really tall buildings didn’t have them either. Are people really serious about this fear in the year 2010? Do they shun ladders, black cats and broken mirrors? I’ll Google it and see what they say. I didn’t know there were web sites covering this fear, here’s what they’ll help you with.
• complications of Triskaidekaphobia
• Hidden causes of Triskaidekaphobia
• Associated conditions for Triskaidekaphobia
• Risk factors for Triskaidekaphobia
If you fear Friday the 13th that’s called, paraskevidekatriaphobia or better yet, friggatriskaidekaphobia, I gleaned this from Wikipedia (hey, that’s where Google sent me). But my question is who was it that had such a fear of this number; that they felt required to coin 3 huge words, that I can’t pronounce, to cover this dreadful malady? Should the Center for Disease Control get involved? Or should they bring Jason out of retirement and make a new movie “Friday the 13th Part 43; “Jason goes on Social Security.” I think my parents suffered from it, but then they had to raise me, it’s was required by law! I’m so glad I was not affected with this fear, or my birthdays really would have been no fun at all. It would be as bad as having your birthday fall on February 29, every leap year. If my birthday had been that I’d only be 15.75 years old. Or the person born on Christmas day, and has to share the birthday with the Lord, and loses out on the extra presents every year.
Luckily this dreaded ailment in not rampant here in the Philippines, here it’s called spectraphobia or fear of ghosts. This is real here; as I’ve watched my wife and daughters close the curtains on every window every night for countless years, when I asked why years ago, I was told it was to keep the “White Lady” (read ghost) out of the house at night. I asked; “What if the white lady was already in the house, wouldn’t we be trapping her/it inside all night?” (I wanted the breeze) That question caused head scratching that lasted for days. They even went to a local Doctor Wag-wag (my wife’s spelling) to get the answer, which was never conveyed to me, but the curtains are still closed every night!
The only Phobia that I suffer from is “Lackabeeraphobia” it can be quite debilitating, and I’d wish it upon no one, ever my best enemy (worst enemy just never made sense to me). The reason I waited until now to submit this vice July, is twofold; we just had a Friday the 13th this August, and I didn’t want anybody to feel obligated to send me cases of SMB’s on my birthday last July. Although it would have helped with my lackabeeraphobia! Maybe next year?
Hi Paul
I’ve never understood the Friday 13th phobia. Walking under ladders has a bit of common sense to it, you may have something dropped on you from whoever is up there.
How many Friday the Thirteenths has there been over the centuries, but we are all still here. I suppose some people are more susceptable to phobias then others.
Hope you have many more Happy birthdays on that particular day
Marjorie
Hi Marjorie;
I was going to try to figure out just how many Friday the 13th’s there were, but the Gregorian Calendar messed me up. So I went to the Chinese Clendar But they spelled Friday wrong. So I’ll just thank you for that birthday wish.
Lackabeerphobia….the horror…the horror……!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Be afraid, sir,, be afraid!!!
Senior;
I bet a case of beer that if you entered those words in a spelling bee no one would win!! 🙂
Oh yea I feel some of your pain (not all). My daughter was born on 28 Dec and always complained she never got anything nice for her birthday. (everyone is broke from christmas).
My wife has a fear of white ladies and everytime she speaks of one of her deceased relatives she does a cross and says a prayer. (thats respect I’m cool with it.)
But her worst phobia is she always locks the doors doesn’t matter if we are right there working she’ll lock it. Heck she has locked me out several times while I was doing the yard. (Or maybe that was a HINT! ( OH NO Homeless)
Your right Senior Lackabeeraphobia is serious and when I get there I’ll get you a case of beer,
but I have to help you drink it. 🙂 What you say!!
Senior;
For got to mention that you being born on 13 July you also suffer from Luckyitis it’s a rare disease and the symptoms are you always come out smelling like a rose.
Hi Mike;
My father used to tip his hat every time he passed a cemetary, and he was one of the last to wear a hat other than a ball cap. That door locking thing could get old, or you could take the hint.(lol) I’ll accept that offer about the beer!
Paul,
Happy belated birthday.
I am having a little fun from a couple of movies that Juramie watched before coming to the USA. When we visit a lake in Maryland, she is afraid of crocidiles and anacondas. When she asks if they live in the lake, I just answer “Yes”.
Jack;
Of course they do! Revere Beach out side of Boston, late night submarine races, the girl asked “What causes the tides” Now I could have tried to explain about the moon and gravity, but found it quicker to say; “The world spins, and when Boston comes to the top, the water goes to the other side.” I’ve always felt bad that someday she’d teach her kids that un-fact.
I believe that 13 is considered unlucky because there were originally 13 Apostles, Judas being #13. Unless Fr. Tom Martin comes along to contradict this, I figure that this should entitle me to a free beer!
Mike;
How many pieces of silver did Judas get? Again 13 comes to mind, I think I’ll Google the Pope and find out. BTW: You do get that beer!
I’ll have to ask my wife, or one of my more-religious facebook friends. I believe that the hoodoo-voodoo over Friday the 13th was either the Friday being the day Christ was ratted out, or the day he was crucified. Either way, it was a day he should have stayed in bed. As you know, some sailors don’t like the idea of singling-up & making way on a Friday, but I think that that had more to do with the expected loss of the sunday day-off, historically.
He got 30 pieces of silver, but who cares if your swinging from a tree.
Hi paul,
I don’t know exactly where the Friday the 13th really came from, there are many claims from different country, their own folklore story about it.
one thing is for sure though,
We should thank Hollywood for it! it gives Jason a better exposure! hahahaha
Dans;
I’m pretty sure it follows Thursday the 12th (just being a wise guy lol). Like you I’ve heard many folk tales about it, I just can’t figure why people would be afraid of it? And yes Jason and Hollywood have done alot to promote the fear. The fear that they’ll make another of those dumb movies!
Dans;
Here’s a bit of Trivia, if the month starts with the 1st on a Sunday, than there will be a Friday the 13th that same month. Aren’t you glad I pointed that out? (lol) The question should be, “Why does Paul T know such dumb stuff?”
Because you work part-time in my “Junkyard of Trivia”? 😆
Paul;
That would be my dream job, pay is un-important, I’ll work for the knowledge and glory.
Then, consider yourself as being on the “un-payroll”! 😉
Oh yes, “Clean up, aisle three!” 😆
I’ll grab a swab and Cadillac, and get right on it!
I never feared Friday the 13th. I have a problem, though, because I haven’t had a beer in about a year or more. Somehow, even as an old sailor, I get along without it. Am I in trouble?
Hi Larry;
No sir, your fine without that beer. Me, I’d be doomed!
Paul,
Go and google Friday the 13th of 1307 for a possible origin. This was the day Louis IV of France had most of the Knights Templar arrested on charges that were mostly made. Wikipedia lists this as an origin of the fear. By the way I too am much more worried about Lackabeerphobia than the others. I too was born on the 13th of the month, October 1953. Love your postings.
Steve
Steve, you youngster you;
Than, like me you’ve had a few Friday the 13th birthdays, just not this year. Pretty lucky days for us I think, I’ll take a few more. Thanks for the info, and curse that Louis IV.
Try this one Paul! For years, when someone mentions or I think of asking if anyone has suspicions of Friday the 13th, that this one payday they give it to me. Never had one person surrender their paycheck on that date.
Great write-up,
Ed
Hi Ed;
It’s amazing how people can be selective of their fears, everybody showed up to my birthday parties, free beer trumps fear
Hey Paul,
I don’t really bother getting worried about friday the 13th or any other 13 occurance. I have broken so many mirrors that I will have bad luck clear into the year 2525. My wife also fears the white lady thing. My only fear is lackoffunds.
Hudson;
On Ship’s we say, “Luck is like water, we’ll make our own!” If you could stretch that streak another 25 years, that would kinda’ be good luck cause you’d still be alive.
Hi Paul,
We lived in a condo in Hawaii that was 18 stories tall no 13th floor. I don’t care if it say 12 then 14 on the elevator buttons, the 13th floor is still the 13th floor and not the 14th floor so people living on the 14th floor still live on the 13th floor, go figure.
Gil Lee
Texas Joe’s
Hi Gil;
Who do they think their fooling? If the map points out a mountain in front of you, you can’t just take a marker and draw a pass through it, it’s still there! Next time I drop by for lunch, I’ll order what ever is listed as item 13, I know it will be good. BTW: My friend Tommy is back out to sea again, he’ll be back by Christmas.
Paul,
Did you ever hear about the guys that tried to bungy jump from a 16 story building? They forgot about the 13th floor not being numbered. Needless to say they had a hard landing.
I never understood these fears either. I am like you. I wonder why in the world my wife wants to lock the “white lady” in at night. I try to tell her it would be a lot easier to get her out, if she did get in, if the curtains were not in her way.
Steve;
I often wondered why the Lady is white? Maybe because my evil exwife was????
My friend’s wife came to our house years ago and told us there was a white lady in her house. I pointed out it was a brand new house and no one had ever died there, so who could be haunting the house. This pleased her, and her husband brought a 1.75 bottle of Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum to thank me when he got back in country. He knew he’d have to sell the house if she thought it was haunted. In this case, logic trumps ghost!
Hey Paul,
Just wanted to say belated Happy Birthday to a fellow July 13 celebrant. 1958 here.
KC;
And the same to you sir, my best friend Tommy is the 13th of July also (Class of “56”) Aren’t we the lucky ones?
Hi Paul: Hilarious article and I enjoy reading it. Unlucky me, I was born on Dec 20, five days before Christmas, but I still get one gift every year. Cheers!
Hi David;
I’m pleased it caused you to smile, I’ve done my job then! Glad you weren’t cheated out of your birthday. I was lucky, as out of the 5 sons, mine was the only summer birthday, so all my parties were on Cape Cod at our summer house, and never cold!